Eczema can be quite difficult to treat. People with this skin condition, also called atopic dermatitis, suffer with rashes, irritation and stubbornly dry patches of skin that may not clear up with moi…

This is the time of year when lots of people have nagging coughs. Traditional cough medicine leaves a lot to be desired. But could chocolate calm your cough? Might You Use Cocoa to Calm Your Cough? Sc…

Warning: this remedy might be too disgusting for you. Many readers tell us that peeing on your feet can help you overcome toenail fungus or athlete's foot. Is there any evidence to back this claim up?…

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common pathogen that usually causes mild symptoms such as runny nose, fever or sneezing and wheezing. It can also cause a nasty cough in some people, especially …

The origin of many a home remedy is lost in the mists of time. Usually we don't have a good record of who started using it or when, and we also rarely have information on when and how it falls out of …

In the Christmas story found in the Gospel of Matthew, wise men come from the east seeking the newborn king. They bring him presents: gold, frankincense and myrrh. This part of the story with these pr…

Do you know how to calm a cough naturally? At this time of year, lots of people are coughing. If you go to a movie or a concert, chances are good that the people around you will be hacking away. Ditto…

In an increasing number of states, the legislatures have legalized the medicinal use of marijuana. (Ten states and the District of Columbia have made recreational use legal, usually in addition to med…

There are a couple of health problems that everyone dreads. A diagnosis of cancer is most unwelcome. Neurological conditions run a close second, though. If a doctor diagnoses Parkinson's disease, ALS …

Mindfulness, the practice of paying attention to your own thoughts and feelings in the moment, has been praised as a way for people to manage stress. It has also been studied as a way to manage major …

A weekly whole-body massage sounds like a luxury, but new research suggests it could help people with knee arthritis live with less pain (Journal of General Internal Medicine, online Dec 12, 2018). It…

Have you often been awakened by painful foot cramps? This is a most unpleasant experience. Some people find that stretching the toes back toward the knee is enough to stop the cramp; they may not even…

Many Americans have difficulty with "regularity." They may pass stool infrequently or they may find their stool is hard and painful to pass. People are eager to find ways to combat chronic constipatio…

Aromatherapy, the use of plant materials with notable fragrance, has long been popular in Europe. It is now becoming more widely adopted in the US as well. In this approach, people utilize the "essent…

During cold season, many people suffer from outbreaks of cold sores, also called fever blisters. Perhaps when the immune system is busy fighting off another infection, the herpes simplex virus that ca…

For decades, we have been warning people not to drink sugar-sweetened soda pop. Not only is it bad for teeth, those liquid calories sneak in too easily and add up too readily. However, we recently wro…

One lesson learned from the terrible opioid crisis of the past few years: a lot of Americans are in a lot of pain. With doctors increasingly reluctant to prescribe narcotics for pain relief, people ar…

When young children cough all night, they may not be awake themselves, but their parents and grandparents won't be able to sleep well. Little ones don't respond well to conventional cough medicines. W…

Who knows where home remedies come from? Most of the time, their history is untraceable. Who first thought to pour black pepper on a cut to staunch the bleeding? We have no idea. If you search the int…

A kitchen burn or other minor household burn is painful. They usually cause redness and sometimes blistering. Cold water is the standard first aid recommendation. In fact, cold tap water is just the r…

Arthritis, joint pain and inflammation and rheumatism have plagued human beings since prehistoric times. Possibly as a result, there are more home remedies for arthritis than you could count easily. T…

Plantar warts are those that appear on the sole of the foot. They can become tender and make walking painful. Over the years, we have heard of many different home remedies to get rid of plantar warts.…

Hot flashes are the signature symptom of menopause. Some women are barely troubled by them while others are incapacitated. Most women in menopause would like to find a way to ease hot flashes, though …

As people age, their joints often begin to hurt. They may try a variety of approaches, from taking OTC pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen to swallowing home remedies such as gin-soaked raisi…

Thyroid problems are far more common than you might guess. Pharmacists dispense approximately 120 million prescriptions each year for levothyroxine (Levoxyl, Synthroid, Tirosint, Unithroid). People wh…

Nosebleeds are common, messy and embarrassing. No one likes to drip blood all over everything. Your first reaction might be to try to stop the blood with a handful of paper tissues, but that doesn't a…

Many people think of lavender as a calming herb. Research in mice now shows that this reputation goes beyond folklore. A whiff of lavender has anti-anxiety effects. How Do Mice React to a Whiff of Lav…

Do you have a favorite home remedy to stop bleeding? Many people insist that pouring ground black pepper on a cut stops the bleeding more quickly. Is black pepper better than other approaches to stopp…

Yoga has become extremely popular over the last few decades. You have probably seen photographs of fit-looking young people in stretchy clothing and improbable poses and wondered why they are so enthu…

Psoriasis sucks. It is a condition that causes red, dry, scaly, itchy skin patches. There is no cure. The causes are mysterious. Scientists believe that an overactive immune system is the culprit. For…

Warts are bumps on the skin caused by a virus, the human papillomavirus (HPV). Even though you can't actually get rid of the virus, you can get rid of warts. A wide range of home remedies and over-the…

If you burn yourself in the kitchen, what's the first thing you do? It is helpful to know first aid for a burn consists, first, of cold water. Here's one reader's experience with this essential remedy…

Arthritis pain presents a big dilemma. The pain itself can interfere greatly with your quality of life. On the other hand, because people suffer from joint pain frequently, if not every day, they may …

Plantar warts occur on the soles of the feet. At first, you might not notice a plantar wart. Most of us don't inspect our soles regularly unless they hurt. Plantar warts often become painful to walk o…

If you sleep well, you may not realize how lucky you are. Those who have difficulty sleeping are faced with a tough dilemma. Sleep deprivation is bad for your health, as many studies have shown. On th…

There are some medical conditions that are surprisingly common but quite mysterious. You have probably heard of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Doctors now call it myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). The …

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About the Author

Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies. Read 's Full Bio.